Mop with cam wringer



F. B. ZOTTOLA 2,916,754

MOP WITH CAM WRINGER Dec. 15, 1959 Filed Sept. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G5 INVENTOR Frank B. Zotbola 7 I 6]. 59 4.9 31, 40 BY ATTORNEYS F. B. ZOTTOLA 2,916,754

MOP WITH CAM WRINGER Dec. 15, 1959 Filed Sept. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Frank B. Zol'l'olcz CZ/mmm,4%4a 9 M ATTORNEYS United States Patent MOP WITH CAM WRINGER Frank B. Zottola, Port Chester, N.Y., assignor to Empire Brushes, Inc., Port Chester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application September 18, 1957, Serial No. 685,363 Claims. (c1. 15-116) This invention relates to mops and more particularly to sponge mops having adjacent sponge supporting plates which may be moved into juxtaposition to express fiuid from the sponges. This application is a continuation-inpart of my earlier filed application Serial No. 487,845, filed February 14, 1955, now abandoned.

Even more particularly this invention relates to sponge mops having two sponge supporting plates hinged together along a line at right angles to the handle of the mop and provided with manually actuable means to rotate the sponge supporting plates about the hinge and into a cam surface formed in a supporting housing tobring the two sponges into engagement to express fluids therefrom.

Heretofore various types of sponge mopsrhave been proposed and various means have been used for bringing portions of the mop into contact with the sponge to express fluids therefrom. The present invention differs from the prior art in providing a more powerful construction for forcing the sponges into contact which is simpler and more efiicient than those of the prior art and which is relatively cheap to manufacture, easy to operate and of pleasing appearance without sacrifice of utility of operation.

The sponge mop of the present invention also provides a novel construction permitting rapid and interchangeable replacement of the sponge, when worn from use, and construction provides for other waxers and scrub brushes to be used interchangeably.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description thereof. The sponge mop of the present invention is capable of various mechanical embodiments one of which is shown in the accompanying drawings to illustrate the same. This illustrative embodiment should be in no way construed as defining or limiting the invention and reference should be had to the appended claims to determine the scope thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a perspective broken away View of an illustrative embodiment of the sponge mop of the present invention showing the mop in position for use;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 as seen from the right therein;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 5 with the sponges added thereto.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 showing various steps of the operation bringing the sponge portions of the mop into contact to squeeze them together to expel fluid;

Fig. 5 is a view from beneath of the embodiment of Fig. 1 showing the hinge and spring construction connecting the sponge supporting plates.

The illustrative embodiment of the mop of the present invention shown in Figs. 1-5 of the drawings includes a suitable handle to which is secured a mop supporting housing generally indicated at 11. Housing 11 is suitably formed or cast from a light metal such as alumi- "ice num and is provided with an internally formed cam surface 14 extending transversely therethrough and opening downwardly thereof, cam surface 14 being so shaped as to provide a downwardly extending projection 15 in each part 12 and 13 and a cam shoulder 16. Housing 11 is secured to shaft 10 by a suitable rivet 17 and reinforced at it other extremity by a suitable rivet 18.

A rivet 25 extends between projections 15 and frame 26 is mounted for rotation thereon. Frame 26 is formed of metal or other suitable material and has side pieces 27 and 28, the assembly being conveniently formed or stamped from a single piece of metal and bent to shape. Each of sides 27 and 28 have lower edges 30 to engage the sponge backing plates to be described in detail hereinafter.

Sponges 39 and 40 are suitably secured as by gluing to sponge supporting plates 60 and 62, respectively. Plates 41 and 42 are provided with suitable corrugations 43 extending transversely thereof.

Plates 41 and 42 are connected along adjacent long edges by a suitable hinge construction 46 preferably formed integrally therewith to permit rotation of plates 41 and 42 to bring sponges 39 and 40 into face to face contact. Springs 47 are mounted about pin 49 of hinge 46 to urge plates 41 and 42 into coplanar relationship.

An actuating rod 54 is pivoted on sides 27 and 28 on rivet 55. Rod 54 extends up shaft 10 within easy reach of the person using the mop and may be connected to a slide mounted upon shaft 10 or to any other suitable device for moving the same longitudinally. Such devices are known to the art and are therefore not illustrated herein. a

Plates 41 and 42 do not carry sponges 39 and 40, respectively, but form a permanent part of the mop structure. Plate 42 is secured to frame 26 by a portion 57 thereof which extends through plate 42 and is secured to the underside thereof as by spot welding. Hook 31 is bent permanently about hinge pin 49 so that plate 42 is permanently associated with frame 26, it being noted that lower edge 30 is not and need not be notched to receive corrugations 43.

Plate 41 carries curved latch member 58 which enters opening 59 in housing 11 and engages and locks with the adjacent edge of surface 72 when plates 41 and 42 return to coplanar relationship after the sponges have been squeezed together locking plate 41 with respect to housing 11 to prevent accidental rotation of plate 41 during use of the mop.

Sponge 39 is suitably secured to a plate 60, as by gluing, and is cut away at 61 to receive brush 22 which is also secured to plate 60.

Plate 62 is provided with corrugations 63 to permit the ends of springs 47 to pass between plate 62 and its associated sponge 40. Springs 47 hold plate 62 in position against plate 42 for ready removal for replacement. Plate 42 is provided with downwardly extending edges 64 and 65 which prevent accidental disengagement of plate 62 from its normal position against plate 42.

Plate 60 is provided with corugations 66 to permit the ends of springs 47 to pass between plate 60 and its associated sponge 39. Springs 47 hold plate 62 in position against plate 41 for ready removal for replacement. Plate 41 is provided with downwardly depending edges 67 and 68 which prevent accidental disengagement of plate 60 from its normal position against plate 41. Since plate 60 carries brush 22 additional means may be provided to secure plate 60 to plate 41 which conveniently may take the form of bolts passing through brush 22, plate 60 and plate 41 and held in position by knurled nuts 69 and 70.

An ornamental strip 71 of plastic or other suitable material of desired color is mounted on the outer curved surface of housing 11.

The squeezing action of the mop of the present invention is clearly seen in Fig. 4. Upon initial downward movement of actuating rod 54, frame 26 is rotated about pivot 25 and plates 41 and 42, carrying plates 60 and 6-1 which carry sponges 39 and 40, respectively, moved forward. Upon further downward movement of actuating rod 54, frame 26 is further rotated about pivot 25 and plate 41 moves rearwardly over cam shoulder 16 and plates 41 and 42 commence to turn about hinge 46 as they move into the aperture defined by cam surface 14. Further downward movement of actuating rod 54 continues the motion of plate 41 over cam surface 14 and brings plates 41 and 42 into parallel relationship rotating about hinge 46 so that sponges 39 and 40 come into juxtaposition and are pressed against each other expelling the fiuid therefrom. Upon motion of actuating rod 54 upwardly plate 41 moves outwardly over cam surface 14 and springs 47 maintain these two surfaces in contact and continued upward motion of rod 54 returns plates 41 and 42 into coplanar position as shown in Fig. 1.

It will now be seen that the present invention provides a novel sponge mop in which the elements thereof may be moved into squeezing engagement which in every way satisfies the several objectives defined above.

Changes in or modifications to the above described illustrative embodiment of the present invention may now be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the present inventive concept and reference should therefore be had to the appended claims to determine the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mop, a housing, a shaft extending from said housing, a cam surface formed in an outer surface of said housing and extending therethrough, a frame pivoted to said housing adjacent said cam surface, a plate secured to said frame, a second plate hinged to said first plate along a line adjacent said cam surface and parallel to said first pivot, resilient means extending across said hinge line urging said plates in coplanar relationship, sponge elements held against said plates by said resilient means, and actuating means pivoted to said frame for rotating said first plate about said pivot whereby said second plate is moved over said cam surface and rotated about said hinge and said sponge elements are squeezed together.

2. In a mop, a housing, a shaft extending from said housing, a cam surface formed in an outer surface of said housing and extending therethrough, a frame pivoted to said .housing adjacent said cam surface, a plate secured to said frame, a second plate hinged to said first plate along a line adjacent said cam surface and parallel to said first pivot, a latch member mounted on said second plate and engaging said housing when said plates are in coplanar relationship, resilient means urging said plates into coplanar relationship, sponge elements secured against said plates and actuating means pivoted to said frame for rotating said first plate about said pivot whereby said latch member is disengaged from said housing and said second plate is moved over said cam surface and rotated about said hinge and said sponge elements are squeezed together.

3. A mop as described in claim 2, said resilient means comprising springs the ends of which underlie said plates, said sponge elements being removably secured against said plates by the ends of said springs.

4. A mop as described in claim 2, said hinge including a hinge pin and said frame having an extension formed around said pin.

5. A mop as described in claim 2, said resilient means comprising springs the ends of which underlie said plates, said sponge elements being secured to backing plates and said backing plates being removably secured against said plates by the ends of said springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 603,999 Ballam May 10, 1898 2,251,384 Thomas Aug. 5, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 496,850 Belgium July 31, 1950 

